HONDA is planning on spicing up the estate car market with a stretched version of the Civic that is both sleek and practical.

Fitted with the world's first adaptive rear damping system the new Civic Tourer will be arriving in the New Year to join a growing number of compact estate cars.

With more and more families demanding leisure oriented vehicles, Honda is pitching in to take on the likes of the soon to arrive VW Golf estate as well as tourer versions of the Ford Focus, Vauxhall Astra and the Toyota Auris.

Like the Toyota, the Honda is built in Britain and has been designed very much for the home market.

Powered either by a punchy 1.6-litre diesel or a 1.8-litre petrol engine the Civic Tourer is priced from £20,625 making it slightly more expensive than the mainstream.

Higher grade versions cost from £24,350 and come with the clever rear suspension which can be switched into comfort or sporty modes depending on driving situation and the load weight.

Twinned with nicely weighted steering it gives the Civic Tourer a quality feel that's solid and well balanced, especially at motorway speeds.

The 1.6 diesel engine made its debut in the Civic hatch last year and has gained a reputation as one of the best in terms of power, performance and economy.

In the larger estate it is not quite as economical as in the hatch but still comes in at 99g/km making it free from road tax.

Officially it is rated at 74.3mpg and is a standard bearer for Honda's energy efficient Earth Dreams technology which is now a feature on all its latest models.

We managed to average 53.3 to the gallon without any trouble on a decent run which took in all types of driving including town work and motorways.

Top speed is a claimed 122mph, 0 to 60 takes 10.1 seconds and generally it punches above its weight for an engine which develops 120bhp that got a theoretical range in excess of 800 miles.

The diesel is priced from £21,375 and the higher specification models top out at £27,460 but with the extra equipment on board it is not quite as economical averaging 72.4mpg with emissions pushed up to 103g/km.

The petrol versions have emissions of either 146 or 149g/km which translates into official fuel returns in the mid to low 40s.

Where the Civic Tourer comes into its own is with above average cargo capacity of 624 litres expanding to a maximum of 1,688 litres which makes it very usable.

A detachable luggage cover can be stored inside the car when not in use while underfloor storage in the boot frees up sufficient space to carry items more than three feet in height.

Quick folding rear seats create even more space for bulky objects and a full set of suitcases - or even a pair of bicycles - can be fitted in without a problem.

The estate is some eight inches longer than the Civic hatch and although it sits on the same wheelbase the roofline is higher, creating more headroom in the back.

With privacy glass, concealed rear door handles and flowing lines it is a distinctive looking car that has plenty of user friendly features such as a low load lip and a flat, expansive cargo floor.

Easy clean carpets are another feature which will be appreciated by action families while on the techno front the car can be fitted with adaptive cruise control and a set of laser and radar assisted safety systems such as lane departure and blind spot alerts, anti collision devices and traffic sign recognition.

From a driver's perspective it is well composed and rewarding, economical and brisk when needed and generally great fun to drive.

Its looks and practical features give it an edge but the competition is fierce and the Civic Tourer finds itself in a market which is seeing more and more alternatives coming on stream almost by the week.